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Abstract
Background Pegylated interferon (Peg-INF) in combination with ribavirin (RBV) is currently the gold standard treatment in chronic hepatitis C (HCV) patients, achieving viral eradication in approximately 50–60% of patients in published data.
Purpose To assess the clinical effectiveness of Peg-INF plus RBV for the treatment of chronic HCV mono-infected patients.
Materials and Methods Retrospective observational study involving 152 patients treated from October 2006 to July 2010. We collected demographic data (age, gender), laboratory reports (genotype, viral load), clinical characteristics, type of Peg-INF and RBV and Peg-INF doses. The primary end point was a sustained virological response (SVR). Secondary end points included rapid virological response (RVR), early virological response (EVR) (complete or partial), final viral response (FVR) and virological relapse. Exclusion criteria were: coinfection, haemodialysis and patients with insufficient data to analyse. Data were obtained from the pharmacy database and medical records.
Results 152 patients (mean age 46 years) were analysed and 84 were included. 65.5% were male. 67.1% with genotype 1–4. 51.2% were treated with Peg-INF α-2a. The average viral load was 1.9 × 1010 IU/ml and 40% of the patients had more than 600,000 IU/ml HCV RNA. The METAVIR liver fibrosis stage was F3–F4 in 36.6% of patients. 62.5% (50/80) achieved SVR, 72.0% in those with genotype 2–3 and 60.8% in 1–4. RVR was achieved in 31.7% of patients with genotype 1–4, and 73.9% in genotype 2–3. 69.2% of patients with genotype 1–4 achieved a complete EVR versus 92.3% in 2–3. 11.5% of patients with genotype 1–4 and 7.7% of those with 2–3 achieved a partial EVR. Relapse rates (18.2%) were lower in genotype 2–3 than in 1–4 (75% of them).
Conclusions The overall SVR rates observed were in accordance with published data, as well as the higher proportion of patients with genotype 2–3 that achieved a RVR and the highest rate of relapse observed in those with genotype 1–4.
No conflict of interest.